Jump In! (Bloomsbury), Shadra Strickland’s debut author illustrated picture book, has been named a Junior Library Guild Selection.

Read more about it here

Jump In! will be published January 31, 2023. Pre order it here

Black Gold (HarperCollins) by Laura Obuobi, illustrated by London Ladd is a NAACP Image Award Nominee as Outstanding Literary Work- Children.

The Awards Ceremony will be televised on BET, Saturday February 25th at 8:00 EST.

See the full list of nominees here

Get the book here

Congratulations London!

Booklist calls Little Rosetta and the Talking Guitar (Doubleday) by Charnelle Pinkney Barlow a “pitch-perfect-picture-book biography” and says that “This upbeat, harmonious portrait of the “Godmother of Rock and Roll” as a child hits all the right notes.”

Little Rosetta and the Talking Guitar will be published February 28, 2023. Pre order it here

See the full review in the February 1 issue of Booklist.

Uncle John’s City Garden (Holiday House) by Bernette Ford, illustrated by Frank Morrison has been named a Blue Ribbon Book by the Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books.

See the full list of Blue Ribbon Books here

Get Uncle John’s City Garden here

In a review of A Crown for Corina (Little Brown) by Laekan Zea Kemp, illustrated by Elisa Chavarri, Publishers Weekly says “Highlighting seasonal cycles and the natural passage of time, it’s a lushly told story that emphasizes the role of the past in the present and future: when Corina asks Abuela why their family wears crowns, she replies that “when we place la corona on our head, we become its roots, reaching back through time to hold on to the things that matter.”

See the full review here

Get the book here

Everything in its Place (DoubleDay) by Pauline David-Sax, illustrated by Charnelle Pinkney Barlow was featured recently in a New York Times article on the appeal and importance of endpapers in picture books.

Read the article here

Get the book here

A Crown for Corina (Little, Brown) by Laekan Zea Kemp, illustrated by Elisa Chavarri will be published February 3, 2023 and is already getting noticed.

In a starred review, School Library Journal says “Lush watercolor illustrations showcase Abuela’s garden and the joy that is bursting inside of Corina. Colorful and vivid spreads welcome readers to the garden and the celebrations, sharing the beauty of Corina’s world and the love shared with family and friends.” See the full review here

Kirkus says “Lush botanical illustrations are paired with a timeless message about the importance of family. Corina’s memories of time spent with loved ones are set against a rich garden tapestry of vibrant colors, enhancing this sincere story.” See the full review here

Pre order the book here

School Library Journal has given a starred review to Abuela’s Super Capa (HarperCollins) by Ana Siqueira, illustrated by Elisa Chavarri.

“Bursting with color, this vibrant picture book conveys the special and fun relationship between a grandmother and her grandson, with a darkness falling over the family as Abuela falls ill, and an explosion of color returning as Luis realizes that although things may be different, they can still have fun.”

See the full review here

Abuela’s Super Capa will be published January 17, 2023. Pre order it here

In a review of My Red, White, and Blue (Philomel) by Alana Tyson, illustrated by London Ladd, Publishers Weekly says “Ladd’s acrylic, colored pencil, and paper illustrations create multidimensional spreads depicting the enslavement of Black people, the Civil War, Jim Crow–era segregation, and more recent events, such as a Black Lives Matter protest and Colin Kaepernick taking a knee.”

My Red, White, and Blue will be published January 17, 2023. Pre order it here